Warhammer Cultivation: Cultivating the Tao Te Ching in the 40K Universe

Then, in a related escort fleet deployment document, he added a note in almost invisible font: "Recommendation: Consider alternative route 7-Gamma to avoid high-density gravitational anomaly regions."

His palms were sweaty after he finished. It was a huge risk. Tampering with even the most basic imperial administrative documents could have dire consequences if discovered.

But he has to gamble.

The next two weeks passed uneventfully. Hector continued his monotonous work as usual, as if his little "trick" from that day had never happened. He even began to wonder if he had misremembered, or if the details of this universe were not entirely the same as what he remembered.

Until one afternoon in the third week.

The heavy door to the archives was suddenly pushed open with a loud bang.

Hector's supervisor, a grumpy, wrinkled old civil servant named Master Valerius, burst in like a whirlwind. He was pale, and his eyes were filled with shock and disbelief.

All the apprentices in the archives were so frightened that they stopped what they were doing.

Valerius ignored everyone, his gaze sweeping across the crowd like a searchlight, finally settling on Hector.

He strode over to Hector and slammed a data panel flashing a red emergency code onto his desk.

"Boy!" Valerius's voice trembled with excitement. "Come and see!"

Hector's heart leaped into his throat. He leaned closer and looked at the data panel.

It was an encrypted battle report from above.

The title is: "Preliminary Report on the Attack by Unidentified Alien on the 'Gift of the Skyhawk' Fleet".

The report stated that the fleet carrying the USS Skyhawk was delayed due to "logistics data verification." The fleet commander adopted a "minor suggestion" from a logistics document and chose an alternative route.

Shortly after they entered the alternative route, a violent energy reaction erupted in the star system where the original route was located.

An Imperial Navy reconnaissance fleet that happened to be nearby reported witnessing a bizarrely shaped fleet, seemingly made of living metal, emerge from the void and launch a devastating indiscriminate attack on its original course.

The "Gift of the Skyhawk" fleet... narrowly escaped death. Although it still encountered a small-scale pursuit and lost three escort ships, the main force remained intact, allowing the mission to continue.

The report concludes in bold: "...This narrow escape was thanks to a chance, but crucial, scheduling adjustment by the logistics department. We strongly urge the State Council to thoroughly investigate the source of this 'data anomaly.' There may be some kind of...unknown early warning mechanism behind it."

Valerius's breathing was like a broken bellows. He stared intently at Hector, his cloudy eyes revealing emotions beyond numbness and boredom. It was a gaze that mixed fear, awe, and profound bewilderment.

He lowered his voice and asked, enunciating each word clearly:

"That verification request about the meteor shower... that note about the backup flight path... you did it, didn't you, kid?"

Chapter 3 Ripples in the Archives

Time seemed to freeze at Valerius's trembling question.

The dim light in the archives room made his complex expression, a mixture of fear and greed, resemble that of a clown in a stage play.

The apprentices around them didn't dare to breathe. They didn't know what was happening, but they could sense that something in the air... was different.

Hector's heart pounded in his chest, but the "tranquility" he had cultivated through meditation kept his mind absolutely calm. He knew this was a crucial question to answer in his life.

If he mispronounces a single word, he could go from being a "valuable asset" to a "heretic who needs to be eliminated."

He didn't answer immediately, but instead showed a confused and fearful expression befitting his age. He glanced at the encrypted battle report on the data panel, then at Valerius, as if he didn't understand what this had to do with him.

"Supervisor... sir... I... I just..." he stammered, his voice trembling with the timidity typical of a young man, "I just think those data... are strange."

"Strange?" Valerius stepped closer, his voice lower, as if whispering, or perhaps interrogating. "What's strange about it? Tell me!"

Hector took a deep breath and began the speech he had rehearsed countless times in his mind.

“It’s…it’s about the correlation of the data, sir.” He pointed to a pile of seemingly unrelated discarded data boards on the table. “A few days ago, while sorting through outdated star charts, I found an exploration report from the late M30 (the 30th millennium) about the ‘Nebra Forbidden Zone.’ The report mentioned the existence of ‘transient, nonlinear gravitational anomalies’ and ‘unexplained energy decay signals’ in the region.”

He paused, then pointed to another pile of documents: "Then, in a fragmented record about the alien civilization, I read about an ancient race called 'Wraiths,' whose weapons were characterized by causing... energy decay. And the 'Gift of the Skyhawk's' original course would have just grazed the edge of that 'Nebra Forbidden Zone.'"

He cautiously raised his head, observing Valerius's expression. "I just felt that sending so many resources to a new world should minimize the risks. That... 'suggested alternative route' note was just a routine risk warning that I added. As for the delay in departure time... I genuinely thought we needed to check the meteor shower data..."

His explanation was flawless.

He perfectly packaged his "predictions of the future" as a "risk assessment" based on massive data retrieval and extraordinary logical analysis. It all sounded so... plausible. Incredibly plausible.

A teenager, in an archive filled with old papers, successfully predicted an interstellar catastrophe that could destroy a fleet by analyzing obsolete data that had been forgotten for centuries.

This sounds more absurd than "he is a prophet," but it's a million times safer!

Valerius stared intently into Hector's eyes, as if trying to find a trace of lying in those dark pupils. But he saw nothing. In those eyes, there was only the purity of youth, and... an unfathomable calm.

After a long while, Valerius slowly straightened up, and the fanaticism in his eyes was gradually replaced by a calculating glint.

He didn't care how the kid did it. Whether it was genius, luck, or some kind of inexplicable intuition... it didn't matter.

The important thing is that this kid is a goose that lays golden eggs! A unique ladder that can get him out of this damn, sunless archive room!

“Very good.” Valerius’s voice returned to its usual hoarseness and authority, but for the first time, he did not use the word “boy” when addressing Hector. “Hector Kane. You did well. This matter ends here. Do not mention it to anyone except me. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Hector bowed respectfully.

“From today onwards, you no longer need to do these chores.” Valerius waved his hand, sweeping the ordinary documents on Hector’s desk aside. “The ‘dust-covered’ section at the deepest part of the archives will be yours to manage from now on. There’s more… ‘strange’ data there. I need you to look through it all. Find out more ‘interesting’ connections.”

After saying that, he picked up the encrypted data board, turned around, and quickly left.

He was going to write a report, a report that would bring him the greatest benefit. In the report, he would subtly attribute the bulk of the credit to his "excellent leadership and keen insight into details," while also casually mentioning that he had a "highly talented apprentice" under his command, as proof of his unique vision.

Hector watched his retreating figure and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The first step was successful.

He not only survived, but also earned himself a valuable "protective umbrella," and more importantly, the right to access more critical information.

In the days that followed, Hector's life changed.

He had a private cubicle in the "Dust-Sealed Zone," a small space surrounded by towering bookshelves, containing only a table and a lamp. Here, he could escape everyone's gaze and concentrate on his "research."

Valerius handed over all the documents he considered "sensitive" and "abnormal" to Hector.

These documents are diverse, ranging from reports of bizarre cults appearing on certain planets to medical records of slight mutations in the Space Marine gene seeds, and even some incomplete logs about strange phenomena encountered during warp travel.

To others, this was worthless junk information. But to Hector, it was a vast intelligence network. He was like a greedy sponge, frantically absorbing everything from this era.

He cross-referenced, verified, and corrected this real-time intelligence with his "40K history" in his mind. He discovered that while the general trend of history remained unchanged, many details were more vivid and complex than he remembered.

All of this became resources for his spiritual practice.

The Tao Te Ching says: "The way of Heaven is to take from those who have too much and give to those who have too little."

What he is doing is "discarding" that superfluous future information and "making up" for the "deficiency" of his current strength.

Each deeper understanding of history deepened his perception of "fate" and "variables," and his "Daoist heart" became more and more stable and clear.

His spiritual practice progressed rapidly.

On a quiet night, as he channeled the true energy gathered within his body upwards along his spine to strike the Baihui acupoint on the top of his head, he heard a barely audible sound from within his body, like an ice river cracking.

The Du Meridian is open!

An unprecedented feeling of coolness instantly flowed through his entire central nervous system. His brain felt as if a layer of dust had been wiped away, becoming incredibly clear.

His memory had been terrifyingly enhanced; every word and punctuation mark from every document he had ever read was clearly imprinted in his mind, readily available for retrieval. His thinking speed was also as fast as a newly upgraded logic engine.

If before he was merely a "test taker" with the answers, now he has begun to think like a "test setter."

He knew that one success was just a fluke. He had to prove his worth again before he could use Valerius's connection to reach even higher-ups.

Soon, another opportunity arose.

Valerius approached him with a report about a human planet called "Salosh," his face showing a hint of urgency.

“Take a look at this.” He handed the data panel to Hector. “The 89th Expeditionary Fleet has discovered this world. The human civilization there is remarkably well-preserved, with a technological level of approximately M25 (the 25th millennium). They are xenophobic, but seem willing to make contact with the Empire. The advance team is already preparing to send an envoy to conduct a ‘peaceful submission’ ceremony.”

Hector took the data panel, and his pupils contracted slightly after just one glance at the name "Salosh".

Of course he knows this place.

The Salosh civilization is a famous tragedy in Warhammer history. An Imperial delegation, full of confidence, traveled there only to be brutally massacred. The ruling class of this planet, the Council of Elders, was actually parasitized and controlled by a terrifying alien species called "Slasar," nicknamed "The Maggot Emperor." They appeared indistinguishable from humans, but their inner nature was rotten.

That betrayal directly led to a decades-long landing war, in which the 89th Fleet was almost completely annihilated, and the planet was reduced to a wasteland.

"How is it?" Valerius asked nervously. "Is there anything... 'strange' about it?"

Hector did not answer immediately. He said he needed time to think, but in reality, he performed another divination using the three nuts.

This time, the hexagram he received was Mountain Wind Gu.

The upper trigram is Gen (艮), and the lower trigram is Xun (巽). Gen represents mountain and signifies stopping; Xun represents wind and signifies entering. The wind is below the mountain, blowing on all things, causing them to rot and breed insects.

The character “蛊” signifies decay, corruption, and confusion.

The hexagrams and history perfectly corroborate each other.

Hector opened his eyes, his gaze more solemn than ever before. He knew that this time, his suggestion couldn't be as indirect as before. This concerned the lives of tens of thousands of imperial soldiers.

He spent an entire night writing a ten-page analysis report.

He didn't mention the "alien parasitism" concept, as that was too shocking. He approached the topic from the perspectives of "cultural anthropology" and "social structuralism."

In his report, he pointed out:

First, the social structure of the Sarosh civilization was extremely irrational. A civilization with a reasonably advanced level of technology had its power monopolized by a group of mysterious, never-revealed "elders," which violated the fundamental laws of civilizational development.

Second, their language contains a morbid, inhuman worship of words such as "flesh and blood," "dedication," and "fusion." This suggests that their core beliefs may originate from some kind of... creature that feeds on flesh and blood.

Third, the report mentions that the Sarosh people showed no interest in the Empire's technology, but displayed great "curiosity" about the "bodies" of the delegation members. This is an extremely dangerous sign.

Finally, Hector drew a bold conclusion:

"...In conclusion, the core of the Sarosh civilization is likely rotten. Its ruling class is not truly human. Any form of peaceful contact is highly likely to be a meticulously planned trap. Our department suggests that the mission be terminated and replaced with an elite commando team composed of Astartes monks to conduct a surgical strike against the so-called 'Elders' Council' under the pretext of 'counter-cult infiltration.' After that, contact with the ordinary people of the planet may be much more effective."

When Valerius finished reading the report, his hands, which were holding the data panel, were trembling slightly.

This is no longer a "risk assessment".

This is direct intervention in the strategic decision-making of an interstellar campaign!

"Are you...are you sure?" His voice changed.

“I’m only responsible for analyzing the data, sir,” Hector replied calmly. “Decision-making is something the big shots up there need to consider.”

Valerius paced back and forth for a full ten minutes, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. Finally, greed overcame fear. He gritted his teeth and picked up the report.

"You wait."

He didn't submit the report through the usual channels. He knew the report was too unorthodox and would be rejected by countless mid-level bureaucrats.

He used the connections he had built up over half his life to send the report directly to the desk of a distant cousin on the moon through a special communication channel that he almost never used.

That cousin was a secretary in a high-ranking position in the Imperial Government.

The following weeks were filled with deathly silence.

Valery-Us became restless; he even began to regret his impulsiveness. Hector, on the other hand, remained calm, continuing his meditation and reading, as if he had already forgotten about the incident.

Until one day a month later.

"Boom—boom—"

The large door to the archives, cast in fine gold and weighing tens of tons, slid slowly open to both sides with a low rumble.

A blinding white light poured in from outside the door, causing all the apprentices, who were used to the dim light, to squint.

Valerius rushed out of his small office in a panic, thinking he had been attacked.

But the person standing at the door was not an enemy.

They were two figures that froze his very soul.

They wore ornate, dark gold power armor and held elegantly designed guardian spears.

They were taller and more imposing than the Space Marines, and every movement they made exuded a majesty and elegance unmatched by mortals. Their faces were expressionless, like golden sculptures, but their silence was more oppressive than the roars of the Space Marines.

The Imperial Guard! The Emperor's personal bodyguard! The best of the best!

Why would these two legendary demigods appear in this forgotten underground archive?

Valerius, like everyone else, froze on the spot, forgetting even to breathe.

One of the Imperial Guards stepped forward.

That step felt like it landed on everyone's hearts.

His gaze, like a tangible searchlight, swept across the entire hall, ignoring the trembling Valerius, and finally, with unparalleled precision, landed on the slender, black-haired boy standing at the entrance to the "Sealed Zone".

Then he spoke.

His voice, transmitted through the armor's speaker, was devoid of any emotion, yet it resonated clearly deep within everyone's soul.